Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Ekalaka NTMS Quadrangle, Montana

Technical Report · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5066594· OSTI ID:5066594

Chaney, D S; Bolivar, S L

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) conducted a Hydrogeochemical and Stream Sediment Reconnaissance in the Ekalaka National Topographic Map Series Quadrangle, Montana. A total of 710 water and 851 sediment samples were collected from 1347 locations at a nominal density of 1 location per 10 km/sup 2/. All water samples were analyzed by fluorometry and those with greater than 10 ppB uranium were reanalyzed by delayed-neutron counting. Sediment samples were analyzed by delayed-neutron counting. Standard field and analytical procedures developed by the LASL were followed. A value nominally twice the standard deviation above the mean was selected as the ''anomaly threshold.'' By this criterion, 27 waters (19 wells, 5 springs, and 3 surface waters) and 33 sediments (26 dry streams, 4 wet streams, 2 wet springs, and 1 dry artificial pond) contained anomalously high uranium concentrations. The study delineated most known uranium occurrences. In addition, several areas were identified that appear of interest for further investigation. These are: (a) in the Belle Fourche shale formation and alluvium along Thompson Creek near the Black Hills uplift; (b) in the vicinity of Bay Horse/Moorhead in the Powder River basin; and (c) in the Long Pine Hills area in the Williston basin, although this area has been prospected before. The principal hosts for the known deposits are arkosic sandstones (Fort Union or associated formations) and lignite beds.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N.Mex. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5066594
• Report Number(s): GJBX-55(78); LA-7069-MS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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